Signifikanzen: "The results indicate a strong negative relationship between perceived Transaction Costs and Relationalism (-0.42; p < 0.01).9 This provides strong support for Hypothesis 1. The mediating role of IT (Hypothesis 2) was also supported as indicated by a significant relationship between transaction costs and IT use (0.11, p < 0.05), as well as between IT use and relationalism (0.29, p < 0.01). The total indirect effect of IT on the relationship between IT and relationalism is, therefore, positive and significant, as hypothesized."